This Kentucky Butter Cake recipe is CRAZY moist, buttery and coated with a sweet buttery sauce that crusts the outside and soaks into the cake making it amazing for days. What you get is a stunning, sweet, buttery, soft cake that is as perfect on its own as it is topped with strawberries and whipped cream!
Kentucky Butter Cake: What To Expect
- Simple Ingredients. Chances are you have everything in your kitchen right now to make this incredibly delicious cake.
- Great to make ahead! I am going to tell you this Kentucky Butter Cake is even better the second day! It gives the cake a chance to absorb all the sugar syrup while relaxing a bit and settling into all its moisture. Certainly it can be enjoyed the same day, but if you have patience, give it a day to become its best self!
- Flavor. While at heart, this is simply a butter cake, the way all the flavors combine with the buttery sugar syrup makes it extra vanilla, while giving it a slightly crunchy crust. Kind of like a huge glazed donut.
- So many serving options! Serve this with whipped cream and strawberries for the best strawberry shortcake of your life!
What Is Kentucky Butter Cake?
Kentucky Butter is the most delicious vanilla pound cake you will ever have. The texture is dense, but tender and it’s topped with a RIDICULOUS butter/sugar/vanilla sauce that soaks into the cake while also leaving it crispy and sweet on top. It’s perfect on its own, along with a cup of coffee, topped with ice cream, or with whipped cream and strawberries. The possibilities are endless.
Ingredients / What You Will Need
Like I said above, this cake recipe is made up of simple ingredients, so I recommend using high quality ingredients. The flavors make the cake! Make sure to scroll down to the bottom of this post to the recipe card for the full ingredient list and instructions.
- Butter. I use salted butter i this recipe, but you can also use unsalted if that’s what you have on-hand or prefer. You use butter in both the cake and the butter glaze.
- Sugars: Use granulated sugar in the cake batter and the butter glaze, and I also use powdered sugar to garnish the cake when done!
- Eggs. Use large sized eggs in this recipe as well as all my baking recipes unless otherwise stated.
- Vanilla extract. You can also use vanilla bean paste if you have that too. Vanilla bean paste will make the cake and the syrup slightly darker in color due to the vanilla beans.
- Dry Ingredients: All purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, and kosher salt.
- Buttermilk. Using buttermilk in this recipe makes the cake tender. If you don’t have buttermilk, you can make your own at home easily. Use My Homemade Buttermilk Recipe!
How To Make Kentucky Butter Cake
The batter goes together in a snap…
- Prep the Pan: Make sure you heavily grease your bundt pan. You can use baking spray/nonstick spray, or you can coat it with butter or shortening and dust it with flour or powdered sugar. You need to make sure your pan is greased liberally because not only will the cake stick, but the sugar syrup can also stick a but too.
TIP: If you do use nonstick baking spray I recommend that you spray it just before adding the batter. I’ve found this technique helps prevent sticking more than spraying the pan and letting it sit before adding the cake batter.
- The batter goes together easily and all the ingredients can be added at the same time just like you would for a cake mix. This cake is pretty foolproof!
- Once the cake is baked make the sugar syrup. Cook the butter, sugar, vanilla, and some water together until the sugar is dissolved, but doesn’t come to a boil.
- Poke holes all in the warm cake and then pour the sugar sauce all over the top! Allow the cake to cool completely in the pan. You can even let it sit overnight in the pan, just run a butter knife around the edges to help the cake from sticking.
Tips:
- Make sure your butter is completely room temperature so you don’t get any lumps! Since you mix everything together at the same time the butter needs to mix in well. If your butter isn’t quite room temperature mix it with the granulated sugar alone to combine and then add in all the other ingredients.
- Allow the bundt cake to cool completely in the pan so the sauce has time to soak in. You can even leave the cake in the pan overnight if you want! The cake gets better the longer it sits!
- Loosen the cake from the sides of the pan with a butter knife! When it’s time, flip the cake out of the pan loosen the cake at its edges to help the process along.
- Finish the cake with a sprinkle of powdered sugar! Dusting it with powdered sugar not only makes it pretty, but helps hide any imperfections in the cake.
Serving Ideas:
The slices are perfect, the flavor is perfect, and you will probably be eating this for breakfast, lunch, and dessert until it’s gone!
- On its own because it’s perfect!
- With fresh fruit and whipped cream!
- Warm with a scoop of ice cream
- Use any leftover sliced thin for French Toast!
Variations:
- Add in a 1/2 teaspoon of almond extract to add a little different flavor!
- Use bourbon or rum in the glaze instead of water to give it a boozy twist!
- Add mini chocolate chips if you love chocolate!
Looking for more Bundt Cake Recipes? Try These:
- Sour Cream Blueberry Bundt Cake
- Praline Bundt Cake
- Fudge Filled Vanilla Bundt Cake
- Marble Pound Cake
This recipe was originally posted in 2015, but has been updated with new tips in 2024!
Print
Kentucky Butter Cake
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 75 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 35 minutes
- Yield: serves 12 1x
- Category: Cake
- Method: Oven/Stove Top
- Cuisine: Dessert
Description
Kentucky Butter Cake is the moistest vanilla pound cake ever, made with simple ingredients.
Ingredients
Cake
- 1 cup butter, cubed at room temperature
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon vanilla
- 3 cups all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 cup buttermilk
Butter Glaze
- 1/3 cup butter
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons water
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325°F/165°C. Grease a 10- inch bundt pan with butter or shortening very liberally. Dust the pan with flour and set aside.
- Place all the cake ingredients in the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on low for 30 seconds and then increase the speed to medium and mix for 3 minutes.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 65-75 minutes until a toothpick entered into the center comes out clean.
- When the cake is done make the glaze. Combine all ingredients into a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Stir continuously until the butter is melted and the sugar is dissolved. Do not bring to a boil.
- Poke holes all over the warm cake using a knife and pour the glaze evenly on the cake while still in the pan.
- Allow the cake to cool completely in the pan and then invert the cake onto a serving plate.
- I actually like to make this cake a day in advance, finding it to be more moist and flavorful when it rests overnight.
Notes
Store airtight at room temperature for up to 3 days
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 514
- Sugar: 47.1 g
- Sodium: 296.3 mg
- Fat: 23 g
- Carbohydrates: 71.4 g
- Protein: 6.2 g
- Cholesterol: 118.5 mg
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Just exactly what did you change to make this “your” recipe? The original recipe that you copied from allrecipes.com is exactly the same. The only thing you did was add the word “Kosher” in front of salt. You didn’t even change the amount needed. This brings me to another point. You are wrongly suggesting that people cut back the amount of salt from your recipe if they use table salt because kosher salt is larger. The original recipe calls for the exact same amount of table salt, not kosher. One thing I cannot stand is people on the internet who change one word in a recipe and *poof* it’s miraculously their recipe. If you actually changed the recipe, I would give it to you, but you did not. So, change the information in your recipe to reflect that it is the actual recipe from allrecipes.com and provide a link. Otherwise, just like in publishing, you are a plagiarist.
If you read the bottom of the recipe it says “recipe very lightly adapted from all recipes” WITH a link back to the original. And also there are other slight adaptations in the recipe (hence the “very lightly adapted”), but I see that you must not have actually read the recipe that I posted in comparison. I guess you were so busy being angered that you must have missed that.
You tell her, Shelly! THAT was an awesome reply! Thanks for the recipe. It sounds amazing! I will be baking this tomorrow! Unlike other pound cakes, I love the fact that you dump everything in the bowl at one time, rather than mixing it in stages. Thanks!!
Shelley, you are more patient and kind than most people that I know! You are amazing and have such a great way about you that most of us envy. Thanks for this recipe!
Thank you so much! You’ve just made my Wednesday!!
One thing I can not stand is when people do not read something entierly and then are rude to someone for absolutely no reason!!!! It’s just a cake recipe Miss Clairee….there is a lot more to worry about in this world.
Samatha, Good response!
Can you use cake flour instead of flour
sure, that won’t be an issue!
Since I’m from Lexington but currently living 4 thousand miles away, after seeing this post I was ready to start singing My Old Kentucky Home. Can’t wait to try this!
Made this exactly by the recipe, and let it sit in the pan overnight. Mine turned out dry on the inside. Any ideas why.
sounds like maybe you baked it a little long? All ovens vary so it’s certainly a possibility. Sorry it didn’t turn out as you had hoped!
hey, I was wondering if I could possibly use margarine instead of butter?
I wouldn’t recommend that, sorry!
Just made this, put on glaze and waiting for it to cool. Pretty much have to put it in a safe to keep people away from it. It smells amazing. Even the batter tasted great. I’m making this for guests arriving tomorrow.
I’ll update after we get a chance to taste it.
Do you use unsalted butter or salted butter? Can you use regular salt?
I always use salted butter, but you can absolutely use either based on personal preference. Also, if you use table salt cut it back by 1/4.
Does the cake have to be stored in the refrigerator and can u freeze it?
Thanks
you can store it at room temperature and yes you can freeze it
How do you store this cake from day #1 to day #2 [when you cut it for the 1st time] to keep the moistness and yet ‘crispness?’ LOPKS fantastic and I want to make this as soon as I know how to store this…
THANK YOU!
I just covered it with cling wrap! I have heard the trick to “toothpick” a slice of bread to each slice of the sliced cake to prevent drying. I bet that would totally work!
I read through a lot of the posts (after I used a cloth to wipe the drool from the computer lol) looking to see if anyone else has asked this question but didn’t see it so I would like to know if it’s acceptable to use plain milk instead of buttermilk or if you have a ratio of milk and vinegar to use?? I’m out of buttermilk and would love, love, love to take this to a get together tomorrow. Thanks for the help. Love your page and looking forward to trying some new recipes <3 <3
Yes, certainly use 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or vinegar to one cup of milk to create your own buttermilk. I am sure it would be okay with just milk, but the buttermilk with the added acidity, tenderizes the glutens in the batter giving it a softer texture.